Best way to drive a letterpress

[McNeillMachine]

Hi all,

I just bought one of these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36967141@N04/3425112896/in/set-72157616429892147/

a Golding Pearl #11

the foot treadle is missing, so I need to rig a motor to the flywheel shaft. I'm looking to drive it with an AC motor and VFD. (So that later on, I can put them on a small lathe).

This is a decent way to do it, right? And also, does anyone in the Maryland area know a good local place to pick up a .5/.75 hp motor?

Thanks,
Phil

[jdunmyer]

Phil,
At the Buckley, MI OldEngine Show Print Shop, we have a couple of letter presses similar to yours, powered by motors. We use a flat belt, running around the flywheel, driven by a crowned pulley on a motor-driven gearbox. A VFD as you describe is much-desired and works well. I think we have the presses running about 60 cycles/minute.

You should be able to find a suitable motor at a scrapyard. Take an ohmmeter along.

[Iraiam]

I haven't seen one of those actually run since I was a teenager just starting out in printing, and they were rare even then, most of the ones I see are all fancied up with chrome and such, and are displayed in the lobby of a printing company.

I would say a 1725 motor (and a VFD maybe) with a pretty small pulley to drive that big flywheel should drive it slow enough to make it usable.

[Tinkerer]

Hi all,

I just bought one of these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36967141@N04/3425112896/in/set-72157616429892147/

a Golding Pearl #11

the foot treadle is missing, so I need to rig a motor to the flywheel shaft. I'm looking to drive it with an AC motor and VFD. (So that later on, I can put them on a small lathe).

This is a decent way to do it, right? And also, does anyone in the Maryland area know a good local place to pick up a .5/.75 hp motor?

Thanks,
Phil

A steam engine... :D